Believe in a cause not your own
by Hananiah
Summary: When Asha is brutally beaten after writing a pro transgenic peice it sets in motion an unlikely friendship with Max and maybe a relationship with Alec. First chapter revised slightly
1. Default Chapter

Title: Believe in something not your own

Summery: Asha is severely beaten, as her sympathy for the transgenic becomes known after she writes a newspaper piece. However, this may lead to a friendship with Max and a relationship with Alec

Spoilers: season 2

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cameron and Eglee

Notes: this was written in ten minutes with no planning so any of the comments I received for this fic were greatly appreciated.

The door opened a fraction, paused then opened fully. Despite her training, despite what she had witnessed growing up Max still struggled to control her expression... Asha's face had been completely transformed. The normal soft white skin was blemished with bruises and cuts. The left hand side of her face sported a huge gash obviously by a knife.

"You got stitches for that?"

Asha shook her head; her throat was black and blue too. Her chin was extended and swollen.

"Can't go the hospital"

Max understood her point, as an S1W member she was someone whose personal details could not be disclosed.

"Well you want me to do it?" Max didn't wait for an answer as she swept past Asha into her apartment. "I was really good at stuff like this back at Manticore." She assured the blonde.

"No it's okay" Asha managed to talk around her swollen neck and jaw.

"How did you know how to find me?"

"Logan was worried when you didn't call him back after a job. Sent me to come look for you and then I saw the newspeice"

"I'm fine" Asha insisted moving to the couch and gently dabbing a cloth against the gaping wound on her forehead.

"I can see" Max replied dryly.

Finding the medical kit, Max sat opposite the blonde-haired woman. She was willing to let go of her animosity to this girl. For a long time she had been an invaluable ally and had clearly regretted her remark about 'furry little friends.' Her crush on Logan had cooled off, on that basis and the fact that she had been jumped upon and still had defended the transgenic cause Max felt that she had earned respect and possibly friendship.

"The furry little friend club thanks you" Max grinned and Asha smiled back.

"I can have Alec come round later if you want"

Asha tensed slightly

"It's okay," she murmured. "Alec's a great guy but…"

"Not exactly mister reliable" Max finished.

Asha grinned. "Not really"

""You two seemed to be getting on at Crash last night," the X5 observed.

"Oh yeah, but I don't know, I think he may like a girl who's more…"

"More then Human". Max finished. That was the crux of any transgenic/ordinary relationship one she hoped she and Logan were well past.

Now all they had to worry about was this damn virus.

For a moment, Max wondered whether Logan had doubts about her, ever wondered if she wanted something more. She never did, she loved Logan, and he was all she wanted. Too bad life through a brick in every chance they got.

"Well you'll never know until you ask him what he wants will you."

Asha winced as Max finished her sewing, tidying away the medical supplies

"Sometimes it's better not to know"

"You're call" Max said getting up,

"Just figure you wouldn't want to waste as much time as Logan and me. Alec has kept around; you guys hang out a lot," she added, she understood this stage well. It had seemed such an improbable jump from friends to lovers.

"We're friends" Asha sighed deeply. "I like that, I haven't had a friend for a long time and something tells me Alec hasn't either. I'm not interested in the dating crap."

She stood with Max, showing her to the door. As Max, left she put her arm on the other woman's, something she wouldn't have dared to do months beforehand.

"Thanks for coming by"

"No big dealio" the dark haired woman assured her easily. "Glad to have another addition to the club"

"I'm gonna by a T-Shirt" Asha grinned back.

"Make sure that you do" Max grabbed the handlebars of her bike.

"See ya around"


	2. brick by brick

Second chapter, I can't say I liked it that much so I will probably heavily revise it, this is a product of writer's block

"You should eat something"

Asha took a deep breath and counted to ten silently in her mind before answering.

"Logan my mouth is so sore I can barely speak let alone eat anything" she looked once again at the uneaten sandwich that Logan had prepared for her and winced. Even looking at it made her jaws hurt.

It was Logan's way. Even when they were kids, Logan had used food to ease the tension or hurt and normally it helped.

"You sure you don't want me to make an eyes only broadcast tonight?" Logan attempted as he watched Asha type slowly at his workstation. She had insisted on finishing her work for eyes only even though Logan urged her to rest. Because Logan had told her to rest.

"Nah, I'm fine" she wished she didn't sound so much like that guy out of that pre-pulse movie…that gangster guy, she couldn't quite place his name.

She just wanted to forget her beating had never happened; besides it wasn't the first time she had been hit. She didn't say anything though, Logan couldn't understand.

It seemed that every single person in Jam Pony was busy however; Alec sat on one of the many seats in the middle of the large warehouse looking remarkably calm and relaxed. Max singled him out easily.

"You read it yet?"

"Read? I didn't think you thought me smart enough to read" Alec returned as he watched the brightly coloured crap on the television.

"Asha's article" Max pressed, she reached into her backpack and pulled out the thin magazine. Alec took the magazine gingerly, flipping through the glossy sheets.

"What exactly am I looking for?"

With her genetically advanced eyesight Max easily found the page, Alec eyed her but dutifully began reading.

"_This great country was once praised on it's ability to welcome anybody to this shore with the promise of freedom and a new life. However in this post pulse world it seems the most essential and inherent freedoms and rights have been discarded. These so-called freaks were born in America yet they are hunted down" _

Alec looked up and regarded Max. "And…?"

The brunette scowled, as she took the magazine back, she wasn't sure what she had expected but she found herself annoyed with his off handiness.

"Do you know what happened to Asha after this was published?"

"She up for an award, befriend the transgenic so that her conscience is clear?"

"She was beaten up"

He was listening to her now, she could tell even though Alec's posture hadn't shifted an inch.

"When?" His tone remained offhand but she could sense an icy undertone beneath it.

"Last night. Apparently her column didn't go down well with the anti transgenic community"

"She okay?"

Max shrugged. "She was beaten pretty badly, but she'll be okay"

"Well maybe I'll go see her sometime," Alec said, turning his back on Max fully, shutting her out completely, max stood and got right in his eye line.

"Maybe you should go over there now," she hinted

"You never understood tact did you Max?" Alec rejoined.

"Tact is something no one can afford in this post pulse world" Max shrugged.

"I said I might go later," he stated, wanting to be out of this conversation.

"It's time to be decisive soldier" Max replied.

"You are the one who said we weren't soldiers any more"

"That's kind of the point" Max said.

End part

I know it's a bit crap. Sorry.

Celsie: Thanks for the review! Here's your chapter, I hope you keep reading. I really appreciate you taking the time to review.

Orca589: There aren't enough Alec/Asha fanfiction which I think is really wrong. I appreciate your critique, I know that I should flesh out the story, but I am icky about stitches and things so that's why I glossed over it. I will take that into account in my future chapters.

Lucy76: Thanks so much for reviewing it's always great to read review

Acb: I always thought that if the whole Logan/Asha/Max triangle wasn't in the way then Max and Asha could have been friends. Your review is muchly appreciated

VietAngel: Not many people like Asha, I see a lot of Asha bashing around which makes me want to write more pro Asha stuff.

Shanec: Thanks for your critique, very in depth and I have read it all carefully and making notes. Thanks so much for taking the time to do that. It helps me become better at writing fanfiction.


	3. Crash

Asha's whole left hand side of her face ached in time to the driving bass of the music. Crash was busy but not overly crowded, so Asha was able to see over the top of the crowd. Her eyes zeroed neatly onto Alec, playing pool in the corner.

Decisively she turned away, although she liked Alec a lot this wasn't exactly the look she wanted to sport in the middle of a crowded club, especially when there were several young women hanging around him.

"Hey there's O.C and Alec" before she could protest, Max had utilized her impressive strength to drag Asha directly in the direction she didn't want to go.

Asha felt the silence start even though Max, Original Cindy and Logan were engaged in conversation. She felt as if a spotlight had been cast directly over her. Tossing her head she attempted to casually let her hair fall over her bruises but it fell short.

Alec's smile hadn't wavered a bit; he grinned his girl charming smile and issued a challenge.

"Like to win your money back?"

Asha frowned at the X5 not understanding his challenge, she had expected some half hearted remark about her face, whoops but hey life sucks sometimes speech but this was completely out of the blue.

"Win my money back?" she repeated dumbly, Alec always made her head hurt, one minute charming and funny the next intense and withdrawn, she wasn't clued into his game yet.

"Don't tell me you forgot our little gamble the other day, winner buys the rounds remember? Now I know I was a little rough on ya the other day but how about I cut you some slack. I'll play one handed"

To demonstrate he leaned over the table and pocketed three reds as promised one handed. Feeling the laughter building inside her she clamped her mouth closed and nodded. As she took her cue from Original Cindy she marvelled at how easy it was to talk to Alec. He had realized she didn't want to be looked at and had instantly known how to get rid of her embarrassment.

"Sure"

Conversation resumed but Asha only heard pieces as if she were listening from underwater. Most of her was amazed that this night hadn't turned into the nightmare she had imagined. Asha was a competitive person so she focused hard on beating Alec who despite his X5 training was a born show-off and so couldn't help making extravagant gestures to impress his willing audience allowing Asha time to catch up on what she had lost in the last game.

Four hours later, Alec realized that going easy on Asha wasn't going to add up to him winning and so his face hardened to what she imagined was his game face. She could hear Max and Original Cindy giving advice and encouragement while Logan who had felt compelled to support his fellow guy was giving helpful hints to Alec.

Finally they were forced to call a draw as neither could really up the other tonight. Alec was determined to flirt and Asha despite how much she was enjoying herself still felt an outsider in this tight knit group.

By closing time Logan had already arranged to walk Original Cindy and Max home despite protests that they were perfectly capable of walking home by themselves. Asha thought they were privately pleased that Logan had offered, especially Max who hid her blush under her long black hair.

Asha held back, although she was a confident person usually she wasn't stupid. Although she had trained harder with Bling and others she wasn't strong enough to confidently walk home alone-especially after the attack.

"You ready to go?" she was surprised to see Alec toss her, her jacket as he passed waiting by the door for her. She hadn't seen him after the last game after which he had taken a redhead to a dark corner of the club.

"Uh sure"

"Then I can give you tips on becoming a master pool player" he grinned as they began to walk.

"So that was Manticore's secret ambition was it? To make super enhanced pool players?"

"Well not since you blabbed it out like that" Alec admonished her, treating her to another smile.

"So the super soldier thing was just a side offer then?" Asha grinned back.

"Well we gotta know how to look out for ourselves when other people don't appreciate our unique pool playing ability"

"See it's all falling into place" Asha snuggled into her jacket, a warm feeling of being close to someone who understood her and shared her sense of humour. Alec continued to crack jokes all the way home and Asha allowed herself a slight wish for something else, something closer.

But nothing happened.


	4. Trial Run

Asha stared into the mirror as se slowly applied make up to the tender swell of her cheek. The fierce colour was beginning to fade but the pain had not gone anywhere. She rolled her tongue around her mouth in an attempt to localize the pain.

Giving up on attempting to look normal she put the blusher brush aside. Make up was expensive and normally she didn't bother but today she needed to cover up her weakness. The media had latched onto her story and she had been overwhelmed by the response. Some trashed her others, like humane groups praised her. She had been asked to do interviews and after consulting Max and the others she had agreed to talk to the general media.

As she stared into the mirror she allowed herself to privately hope that a certain X5 might be watching the broadcast and be impressed. She and Alec had seen each other after their match at crash but they hadn't had time to have a proper conversation. When he had walked her home she had been amazed at the range of his knowledge both political and social. It seemed to her he was flexing a muscle he rarely used. She couldn't remember Max or anyone else asking Alec's opinion on anything really important.

She wondered if Alec cared

Asha wondered whether this was just one of the many masks Manticore had created for him; to ease him way into any society to charm and put him enemy at ease. It wasn't too difficult to believe that old Manticore reflexes would remain with him. It was only natural.

She shook her head. No. Alec was real with her that night. The walk home had been comfortable and relaxed. She had felt more relaxed then she had in ages, Alec had respected the distance she had set, he hadn't tried any sly moves she knew he was capable of.

She laughed at herself. Couldn't she make sense? On one hand she was grateful Alec had kept his distance but on another upset at his lack of attention. Perhaps her incident had made her more sensitive to how she was perceived then she had thought.

She was forced from her thoughts by a knock on the door. Frowning she checked her watch. It was fairly early, her interview wasn't until noon, and she hadn't told anyone but Logan what was happening.

Her apartment was small, just big enough for her, with one bedroom, a kitchen and a living room and a bathroom. She hadn't wanted a roommate as having to explain her constant absences and missions while working for eyes only caused far too much hassle. The door was kept shut only by a lock and a chain which when she opened the door and let in Alec she noticed his gaze fall onto her locking mechanism with a frown.

"You should get that looked out"

Still floored by his sudden appearance at her door it took a moment to register what he had said until he motioned to the door.

"Oh, no it's fine. I haven't had any problems"

Alec's gaze remained on the door as he shut it behind him. Asha suddenly felt self-conscious. She was aware of the amount of space between herself and Alec. In her small apartment it was telling. She could feel the heat of his gaze as he slowly transferred it to his face. She wondered how he could look so effortlessly handsome and undue her so easily with just a look.

"Came by to say good luck for this afternoon"

"Oh. Oh Thanks." She paused. "How did you know?"

"Logan"

Asha found herself more embarrassed then angered by Logan's admission; she didn't know what to say. In many respects she was still an outsider in the 'transgenic' problem. Although fully on the side of the transgenic's she wasn't part of the team the way Logan was. She felt like a ten year old speaking about global warming.

"You prepared a speech?" Alec asked

"No-well yes, I have a general outline"

Alec made himself comfortable on the couch.

"You want an audience?"

"You want to hear it?"

Alec shrugged "Why not? I can maybe give a transgenic view to it"

"You just want your name in the paper"

His grin was truly mind blowing and she was glad that X5s were not mind readers.

"Couldn't hurt to have some publicity"

Asha took a deep breath. Of all the transgenics possibly watching it was Alec who made Asha the most nervous about his reaction, and now he wanted to hear it first. Taking the speech from her pocket she opened it up and began to read.


	5. Food glorious food

Asha placed the gun carefully into the pouch in her backpack among all the other odds and ends she kept there to fill the bag. It shouldn't be too hard to get through sector police, of course now it was harder to remain anonymous but with her hood up and her hair died a dark brown she looked like any of the great unwashed, going about her business.

"Hey Asha ready to go?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh helping you raid a food aid office, what else?"

Asha shook her head, "No, Max said she'd come with me."

Alec shrugged. "Yeah, Max got caught up at work, apparently she's had one to many days off trying to lead the revolution."

"And you can waltz in and out whenever you please?"

Alec spread his hands, an angelic smile lighting up his features that Asha didn't buy for a nanosecond.

"Hey Normal loves me." He glanced at her bag. "So we ready to go?"

Asha turned away so Alec couldn't see the apprehension on her face. The raid was nothing new but she had never pulled one off without Logan. She steeled herself.

"Yeah I'm ready."

The Food aid office was much like the one she and Logan had hit during the months Max had been at Manticore. The office was cramped with officious staff and desperate people, Asha could see the faces of the homeless, the starving and felt her ire rise. She hated seeing people suffer and those suits were worse then machines. She knew that the aid was being diverted so it could be sold to the rich but she wasn't sure how much, the statistics varied, she had relayed the information to Eyes Only as soon as she had solid proof and through Logan he had told her it was her case.

She glanced to her right wondering how her companion was coping with the boredom. The line seemed to go on for miles and she and Alec weren't even close to being served. Alec was slumped in his seat, engrossed in an out of date magazine.

"Four guards may be a problem" He whispered under his breath. Asha discreetly followed his gaze to two men at the door where the aid was being delievered and another two who lingered by the line, periodically walking up and down. Asha noticed how the people instinctively moved away from them in fear.

"They packing?"

Alec's only answer was a brief nod.

Asha scanned the room, looking for the rest of her people who were milling around amongst the downtrodden waiting for her signal.

"Can you take them out?" Asha whispered, she frowned as Alec gave her a mocking frown.

"Without superhuman strength I don't want people to associate transgenics with this hit."

If she didn't know better she would have said Alec looked hurt but it was gone so quickly that Asha was sure it was just anger.

"What we're good enough to live in Terminal city with the rest of the garbage but we're not good enough to feed the homeless?"

"This is hot Alec, the media are gonna call this terrorism and you don't want them to associate that with you, I'm trying to keep your hands clean." Asha hissed.

"Ain't nobody's hands clean in this world sweetheart." Without another world he stood up moving through the line until he reached the expressionless man behind the desk, he smiled to the woman he had pushed in front of and addressed the man.

"Hey, any chance we can have some food today?"

"I need food for my baby" The woman said desperately, holding out the coupons she had collected. The man looked increasingly bored.

"You haven't enough food stamps ma'am"

"I did last month."

"The price has gone up because there is a lack of product"

'Yeah because you've been selling it' Alec thought. He didn't really think of himself as a socialist person, he believed in helping yourself before others but he wasn't going to watch this guy short hand a mother with a kid.

A gun shot rang out and Alec watched as Asha climbed onto a desk, a gun pointed towards the ceiling and then chaos exploded.

"Not a bad bit of work" Alec commented as he and Asha sidled down a side street.

"We need to figure out where their hiding the rest of the food that they sell on Alec. I mean we stopped a deal going down today and people got their share of food but that's one day, what about tomorrow?"

Alec looked towards the sky. He should know better then getting involved with bleeding hearts.

"I'll do a sweep." Alec offered. "On my way back from Crash."

"My guys already did a sweep" Asha said defensively.

"Any of them X5?" When Asha shook his head he grinned. "So I'll do a sweep tonight"

Asha looked at the ground, trying to keep from smiling.

"Thanks."


End file.
